Definition:
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is not a cancer, but its presence means that there is a small increase in the risk of developing breast cancer later on in life. Even so, majority of women with LCIS do not develop breast cancer.
Diagnosis:
LCIS does not appear on a mammogram (breast x-ray). It is usually found as a chance finding, when a sample of breast tissue is taken and examined under a microscope (biopsy), or when a breast lump is removed.
Treatment:
Doctors usually recommend that women with LCIS have breast examinations every 6–12 months, and mammograms every 1–2 years. Any changes in the breast can then be picked up at the earliest phase and treated if appropriate.
Rarely, a woman with LCIS may make a personal decision to have both breasts surgically removed (bilateral mastectomy). This tends to occur where there is a strong family history of breast cancer, or the woman has extreme feelings of anxiety about her risk of developing breast cancer.
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